"It’s most certainly time" - Tom Brady wants this former Patriots teammate in Pro Football Hall of Fame
brady" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">Tom Brady is the easiest choice for the Hall of Fame in NFL history. But just because he is a future Hall of Famer doesn't mean his teammates automatically qualify. One of his old teammates has been waiting patiently but Brady thinks he's waited too long. Taking to Twitter, Tom Brady gave a ringing endorsement to former teammate Rodney Harrison.
On Twitter, influencer Scott Pioli gave his own endorsement of Rodney Harrison, linking to an NFL story about the strong safety. According to Pioli, Harrison was the first player in NFL history to record 30 sacks and interceptions in a career. Brady quote tweeted Pioli's post and was clear and frank, stating: "The original 'edger' ... it's most certainly time."
The original “edger” … it’s most certainly time @ProFootballHOF twitter.com/scottpioli51/s…
Brady also mentioned the Pro Football Hall of Fame Twitter account in an effort to get their attention. At the time of writing, about 7,000 people have agreed with this assertion, as the two posts received about 7,000 likes. Could an endorsement from Tom Brady move the needle for Harrison?
"You've seen this year a lot of crazy things happen with games. An old coach of mine used to say, 'It's not who you play, it's how you play when you play them.'"
#TB12 #BB https://t.co/yLt9GaB9VJ
Rodney Harrison retired in 2008 and is now well past the five-year waiting period required for candidacy. This means that Harrison has been glossed over for almost ten years. That said, while it may seem like a long wait, plenty of players have waited decades to be included in the Hall of Fame.
According to Pro Football Reference, Rodney Harrison was drafted 145th overall by the San Diego Chargers in the fifth round of the 1994 NFL Draft. His 15-year career was almost cleanly split down the middle between the Chargers and the Patriots. He played for the Chargers from 1994 until 2002. From 2003 until his retirement in 2008, Harrison played for the New England Patriots.
In total, Harrison played nine years for the Chargers and six for the Patriots. With the Chargers, Harrison played in 186 games and started in 159 games. He logged 34 interceptions and 21.5 sacks with the Chargers. With the Patriots, Harrison played in 63 games (starting in 62). He had eight interceptions and nine sacks with the Patriots.
Could Brady's endorsement push the committee to look at Harrison's résumé and initiate the process towards getting him a bust in Canton? If there's an active player who could influence the committee, it's Tom Brady. Either way, one will not know for a while who the committee will ultimately select for a number of months.